Protected areas

The IUCN system for classifying protected areas distinguishes six management categories (I-VI). This publication aims to further clarify how they can be interpreted within Europe, in order to help protected areas managers and others concerned with protected areas to apply the IUCN system more consistently to ensure reliable categorisation and data gathering

The principles and guidelines developed by IUCN and NOAA are addressed to marine protected areas and coastal managers and are intended to promote better understanding and recognition of the linkages between MPAs and the wider coastal and marine area and of the need to establish effective incentives and institutional arrangements to manage marine protected areas in the broader context of integrated coastal and ocean management frameworks.

The Proceedings of the Sustainable Finance Stream provide insight as to how to secure the long-term financial visibility of parks and conservation areas. This contribution offers many alternatives for generating revenues and emphasizes the need to adopt a business approach to management of protected areas in general. It also looks closely at the policy and institutional opportunities and constraints in order to provide the broader context in which manager are expected to operate.

These studies investigate the role of protected areas in supporting local socio economic development in selected regions of each country. They are designed to assist policy-makers and planners by demonstrating that protected areas are productive economic assets and that there is a need for appropriately managing them in order to realize the greatest benefits for the community.

Thematic lesson papers are intended to bring global lessons and best practice to the region and to help define the agenda for detailed consultation and reform in the four lower Mekong River countries.

These lessons papers are the result of assessment and debate carried out through background papers and national round table meetings involving all key sectors and levels of government. They provided the basis for the more detailed work in each country by inter agency PAD core groups on the national reports.

The regional report deals with issues requiring collective action from all four countries in the Lower Mekong region and describes the status and trends in the region which set the basis for the PAD review.